Rough Collie vs Cordoba Fighting Dog - Breed Comparison

The Cordoba Fighting Dog is believed to be an extinct dog breed, but research will reveal that there are still those who believe that some of these dogs do still exist.

The dog was regarded as an aggressive, fighting dog and was a crossbreed of the Mastiff, Bull Terrier, Boxer and Bulldog.

Known also as the Argentine Fighting Dog or the Perro de Presa de Cordoba, this dog comes from Argentina where it was used for dog fighting, hog hunting as well as being a guard dog. It is thought that it became extinct in the 20th Century.

Breeders in Cordoba worked at developing a new fighting breed of dog based on the Bull Terrier. The breed became known as the Perro de Presa de Cordoba or Fighting Dog of Cordoba. He resembled the Bull Terrier and came in shades of fawn and brindle, although Argentine fanciers preferred the plain white dogs.

Over breeding for white coated dogs led to skin problems and other health problems, making it that except for fighting, the dog wasn’t in demand elsewhere. As fighting of dogs became more frowned on, the dog became extinct.

Many people have seen the movie ‘Lassie’, and of course this movie made the Collie popular and famous.

Apart from the Rough Collie, you also get the Smooth Collie. The Rough Collie’s origins start in the 1800’s in Scotland and Wales but unfortunately, the Rough Collie's exact origins are shrouded in lack of information.

These dogs were used as herding dogs in real-life and in movies, and it was in 1879 that the first English Rough Collie was imported to the USA, but it is the UK from whence the dog comes.

The Cordoba fighting dog is a mixed breed. Bull Terrier, Mastiff and Bulldog make up this dog breed.

He was a large dog, standing at between 58 and 62cm and weighing between 32 to 55 kg. He was lean and muscled with a wide chest and small ears that were cropped. His powerful jaws were to be avoided as once they settled around another dog’s throat, the grip was vice-like. The dog’s coat was short and was essentially white with black marks on the body and around the head.

Temperament:

A Cordoba Fighting Dog is aggressive and strong. While most dogs benefit immensely from training and socialization, these dogs, even with training, remained somewhat aggressive, so they were no doubt not a good choice for first time dog owners, or for those with children in the home. Also the dog was always aggressive towards other dogs.

You could safely say that if these dogs were around today, they would not be looked upon as the ideal family pet.

The Rough Collie or Long-haired Collie is considered to be a medium to large sized dog with a long, double-layer coat.You’ll find the coat mainly as tri-colored – white, fawn and dark brown and black.

The Rough Collie stands at between 51 to 61cm in height and weighs between 18 and 30kg. The long, thin muzzled dog has semi erect, semi-floppy ears, sweet, gentle eyes and a long, plumed tail.

Temperament:

Rough collies are loving, gentle dogs who thrive on spending time with their human families. Their kindly nature makes them good therapy dogs.They don’t do well when left in the back yard on their own day after day. They’re social dogs who love playing with the children in the home and they get on well with other family pets.

The Rough Collie is highly intelligent and he is easy to train. With training and socialization he becomes so well behaved you can take him anywhere.

The Cordoba Fighting Dog was a hunter and also a fighting dog. It was a fierce, aggressive dog, and while he may have formed a bit of a bond with his owner, he wouldn’t have made a good family pet.

With an unstable temperament, who knows when he could have turned on his owner or the owner’s family? Certainly he wouldn’t have tolerated any other pets in the home.

Perhaps it is better if he has become extinct because dog fighting is abhorrent and hopefully being banned today, and he would never have been much good as a family pet.

The Rough Collie is such an intelligent dog, but he is loving and devoted too. He can slot into life in the city or countryside because all he really wants is to be close to his human family.

Wherever you live with your Rough Collie though, he will need to be well exercised. He is sweet but slightly timid and will want to be with a family that isn't too noisy in terms of lots of shouting.

People who have had Collies say these dogs make he most awesome pets, and in the right environment these wonderful intelligent dogs will make splendidly loyal, loving pets and companions,

The Cordoba Fighting Dog was a generally healthy breed but even so, its very lifestyle made it want to gobble down his food without much chewing. This possibly resulted in a number of problems such as bloat.

Bloat:

Bloat is a serious condition which the Cordoba had to deal with and which happens with modern day dogs too. It is an ailment not to be taken lightly. Your dog will need to get to the vet as soon as possible. The dog’s stomach fills with gas, which can also result in the stomach twisting.

When the stomach fills with gas, pressure is put on the diaphragm, making it difficult for the dog to breathe. The dog’s abdomen is swollen, he has difficulty with breathing and he will likely be drooling. It is an ailment which can happen to any breed of dog, regardless of age. Larger dog breeds, however are more prone to it.

The Rough Collie can reach 12 to 14 years of age with good care. There are always some health issues to be aware of such as hereditary eye diseases. Also, as with most larger breeds, hip dysplasia is always a concern.

Other illnesses to look out for include cancer, skin allergies, bloat and Grey Collie Syndrome. As a responsible dog owner, get your pet to the doctor when you notice a change in his behavior – tiredness, vomiting, lethargy, unusual lumps, swelling and a feeling of depression.

Gray Collie Syndrome:

This is a form of canine cyclic neutropenia which affects the Collie breed. There is a low concentration of neutrophils in the blood. It can be hereditary or it can develop because of a side effect of chemotherapy for instance. It is essentially caused by a defect in the bone marrow stem cells. Affected dog will always battle with gastrointestinal problems and infections of the eye.The life expectancy of a Collie with this ailment will be less than 3 years.

Grooming:

The Cordoba Fighting Dog was a short haired dog and no doubt his owner would have given him a brush down every now and then to keep him looking presentable.

Diet:

The Cordoba was used for fighting to the death with other dogs, so a strong dog like this will have required a high-protein diet. The owners particularly wouldn’t have wanted a dog with hip- and elbow dysplasia and they would have ensured a good choice of raw meat, cooked brown rice and vegetables.

Manufactured dog food started emerging about the mid-1800s and the dogs would have been fed this, made up of wheat meals, meat and vegetables which was then mixed with cooked meat and vegetables.

Your Rough Collie does shed so he will require a good brush twice a week. The long silky hair can matt so this grooming session will be important.

Exercise:

Your film-star collie is an active, athletic dog. He has always been used to herding sheep, and instinctively he wants to be active. His bright eyes are always alert to some action, and his exercise needs go beyond just allowing him to run around in your back yard.

He is the kind of dog that wants something more energetic such as going on hikes or long walks and running after sticks or balls on the beach.

Diet:

A Collie is an energetic dog and will require the best dog food there is. If you give him commercially manufactured food make sure it is the right food for his size, his breed and his energy levels.

To add some variety, feed him some home-made food occasionally which can be added to his dry kibble twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet. Try and feed him some raw meat occasionally. Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water for him.